"We’ve seen at Tennessee the difference a good coach can make, it’s the difference between a good season and a bad season,” Smith said. "If he wins the SEC East, he's probably looking at a big raise and extension in the offseason."

Editor's Note: The chart below compares SEC coaches' salaries. It also compares each coaches' wins, losses, bowl wins, national championships and SEC championships while the coach has been with his respective school. The stats are as of Oct. 26, 2016.

Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh is the highest-paid coach in the country at $9 million.

Alabama’s Nick Saban is the second highest-paid coach in the country at $6.93 million. For the first time since 2011, Saban does not lead the nation in salary.